---
title: splay — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «splay» in the school dictionary: To splay is to spread things wide apart, especially fingers, legs or feet. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# splay

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, frog, legs, He, arms, giraffe · **What happens:** splay, be, mean, spread out, turn, jump · **To what, where:** fingers, puppy, cool floor, ice, front legs, ground · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«splay» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [splay in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/splay.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To splay is to spread things wide apart, especially fingers, legs or feet.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:splay:m1:1
# text = To splay is to spread things wide apart, especially fingers, legs or feet.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	splay	splay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	spread	spread	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
7	wide	wide	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	apart	apart	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	fingers	finger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	conj	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	feet	foot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **splay** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn bend-45.2 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | fingers and legs or feet *obl*; apart, spread *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Splayed means spread out wide or turned outward.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:splay:m2:1
# text = Splayed means spread out wide or turned outward.
1	Splayed	splay	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	spread	spread	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	ccomp	_	_
4	out	out	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	wide	wide	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	turned	turn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
8	outward	outward	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **splay** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn bend-45.2 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **spread out** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | wide *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **turn** | past |  |  |  |  |  | outward *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Splay your fingers wide like a starfish.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:splay:x1:1
# text = Splay your fingers wide like a starfish.
1	Splay	splay	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	fingers	finger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	wide	wide	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
5	like	like	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	starfish	starfish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **splay** | imperative | you *not said here* | your fingers |  |  |  | like a starfish; wide *property* | vn bend-45.2 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent finger=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The frog jumped with its legs splayed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:splay:x2:1
# text = The frog jumped with its legs splayed.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	frog	frog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	jumped	jump	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
5	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	splayed	splay	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **jump** | past | the frog |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **splay** | past | frog's legs |  |  |  |  |  | vn bend-45.2 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The puppy lay splayed out on the cool floor.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:splay:x3:1
# text = The puppy lay splayed out on the cool floor.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	puppy	puppy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	lay	lie	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	splayed	splay	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	out	out	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	cool	cool	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	floor	floor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **splay out** | past · passive |  | the puppy |  | the cool floor |  |  | vn bend-45.2 «NP V NP.patient»: subject=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He fell over on the ice with his arms splayed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:splay:x4:1
# text = He fell over on the ice with his arms splayed.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	fell	fall	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	over	over	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	with	with	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	arms	arm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
10	splayed	splay	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fall over** | past | He |  |  | the ice |  | over *property* | vn occur-48.3 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme on ice=Location |
| 2 | **splay** | past | his arms |  |  |  |  |  | vn bend-45.2 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A giraffe has to splay its front legs to drink.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:splay:x5:1
# text = A giraffe has to splay its front legs to drink.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	giraffe	giraffe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	splay	splay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
7	front	front	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	drink	drink	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | a giraffe |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **splay** | to-infinitive | a giraffe *not said here* | giraffe's front legs |  |  |  |  | vn bend-45.2 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent leg=Patient |
| 3 | **drink** | to-infinitive | a giraffe *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The tree's roots splayed out across the ground.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:splay:x6:1
# text = The tree's roots splayed out across the ground.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	roots	root	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	splayed	splay	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	out	out	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	_
7	across	across	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **splay out** | past | the tree's roots |  |  | the ground |  |  | vn bend-45.2 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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